Alternative Energy News Archives
Saturday 11th of February, 2006
Could we generate our own power? ★★
The Observer, appx. 554 wordsA look at micro-generation and it's use in the United Kingdom, where only 100,000 households currently apply micro alternative energy techniques. The article offers up some ideas and solutions for micro-generation with examples of mini-wind turbines for rooftops.
Pioneers look forward to solar future ★★★
BBC News, appx. 1152 wordsThe article examines the reality of trying to go solar and what the future might hold for solar energy.
Quotable from the article:
...according to the International Energy Agency, if you take large-scale hydro projects out of the equation, only about 2% of the world's electricity is generated through solar, wind and other renewable technologies.
"Technically you could supply all of the world's energy needs by covering 4% of the world's desert area with photo-voltaic panels," says Martin Green from the Advanced Silicon Photo-voltaics and Photonics research centre at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.
...according to International Energy Agency forecasts, renewables (once again excluding large-scale hydro) will make up only 6% of the world's energy economy in 2030, with solar cells contributing a small fraction.
BP and Edison International Unveil Plans for a Hydrogen Power Plant ★★
Los Angeles Times, appx. 738 wordsBP and Edison International are looking to spend spend $1 billion devloping a one-of-a-kind hydrogen power plant in Carson, California. What is interesting about this project is that the 500 MW power plant - making it the world's largest hydrogen-fired power plant - will use leftovers (petroleum coke) from BP's Carson oil refinery, and it will capture the resulting carbon dioxide for use in oil fields.
The new plant is scheduled for completion in 2011 and should power up to 300,000 homes.
But what sets the project apart is the unique way it would make electricity by using the refinery's leftovers while capturing the resulting carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas linked to global warming, so the environment isn't harmed, the executives said.Growing demand drives growth of biodiesel ★★
Daily Herald, appx. 818 wordsA look at the biodiesel market and a profile of sorts of Seattle Biodiesel and it's CEO, venture capitalist Martin Tobias. Unable to meet market demands with its existing facility, Seattle Biodiesel - which is looking to become a national company - has recently finished a round of venture capital (VC) funding with the aim of opening a new biodiesel refinery and canola-crushing oil facility this summer.
From the article:
Seventy-five million gallons of biodiesel fuel were produced in the United States last year, triple the amount in 2004, said Jenna Higgins, a spokeswoman for the National Biodiesel Board.
Still, 75 million gallons is just a drop in the bucket when compared with the 67 billion gallons of diesel fuel consumed annually in the United States.
Chevron taps into alternative energy ★
Oakland Tribune, appx. 467 wordsThrough the use of hydrogen fuel cells and solar panels, Chevron has helped the U.S. Postal Service's two largest processing and distribution centres in San Francisco reduce pollution by eliminating the discharge of about 6,600 tons of carbon dioxide
and reduce it's power bill by $12 million USD annually.
Combining the lower enegry costs, government rebates and grants, the postal service expects to recoup the costs of the project, $15 million USD, in about seven years.
G-8 Finanace Ministers agree to diversify energy production ★
Deepika, appx. 272 wordsA joint statement issued at the end of a meeting on February 11th, 2006, between the G8+4 (India, Brazil, China and South Africa) in Moscow, highlighted the importance of increasing the transparency, punctuality and reliability of data on supply and demand of energy resources and ensuring a continuous flow of investment into prospecting, production, transportation and refining of energy resources
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The statement went on to add that This would also help to diversify production and consumption of energy, while developing alternative sources of energy and protecting the environment
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